Anderson Mulumeoderhwa, from Bukavu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) left his country on the 3rd of January 2015, now he he is a skilled small scale farmer thanks to the JRS-JC:HEM CSLT in Sustainable Agriculture and Community Nutrition. (Robert Kabale Mbanda, Hugo Hivanove Mpenzi, Joseph Kabila Bahulule/ Dzaleka Refugee Camp)

“Having knowledge and not to share it; is wrong. Let all of us who gain knowledge through JRS-JC:HEM prove to the world that our work must be known. I believe that our ideas and knowledge, inspired by what we learnt in our courses in Sustainable Agriculture and Community Nutrition can change not only refugees and Malawians, but the entire world.”

Dzaleka, 7 July 2016 - Anderson Mulumeoderhwa, from Bukavu,
in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) left his country on the 3rdof January 2015 because he reported a matter about a woman who was raped. He
then became the target of persecution, because he chose to speak out. Today he
is living as a refugee in Dzaleka Refugee Camp. “The work of my hands can be
seen by everyone. I want to teach and give knowledge and skills to refugees
around the world with what I learnt through Jesuit Refugee Service and Jesuit
Commons: High Education at the Margins (JRS-JC:HEM).” says Anderson.

In November 2015, Anderson applied to study the Sustainable
Agriculture and Community Nutrition course, through the JRS-JC:HEM Community
Service Learning Tracks (CSLTs). Today he is applying these very same skills he
learnt through the CSLT. Now he is applying intercropping – the mixing of crops
-, irrigation, steps for soil
improvement such as organic manure to improve soil fertility, preparing land
and soil for planting by making beds in the garden, pit beds, ridging the soil,
mulch to cover the soil with grass for water retention, composting and the use
of pest repelling herbs and plants.

Anderson has planted his crops amongst trees and shrubs in
the garden, ensuring that when the trees shed their foliage, those fallen
leaves automatically become green manure and improve soil fertility and plant
propagation in the garden. This system has improved seed germination.

Anderson speaks about the different crops he has been able
to cultivate using environmentally friendly and organic methods that do not
only minimise his costs, but ensures the growth of healthy crops: “Through all this
knowledge and skills gained in this CSLT, I can grow different vegetables like
spinach, leek, green peas, celery, carrots, tomatoes, maize, green pepper,
amaranth, onions and eggplants, all this without chemical fertilizer.”

“This course has guaranteed food security in my family,
because since I started growing these crops, I have never had to buy vegetables
in the market. Also, the money that I gain after selling some vegetables, helps
me to provide for some of the needs in my family.” Anderson says.

As to those he supplies and how they feel about the quality
of the produce Anderson grows, he has this to say: “Those who are selling
vegetables at the market, who order it from me as their supplier, have
confidence because it is natural, I do not use chemical fertilisers. I do all this
because of the knowledge that I gain through JRS-JC:HEM in the Sustainable Agriculture
and community Nutrition CSLT.”

“That is why if my fellow refugees and others should learn
these farming techniques that I have learnt through JRS-JC:HEM CSLT, especially
here in Malawi, where 92 percent of farmers use chemical fertiliser on their
land, but using organic matter will bring big success.” he added.

Further he adds: “Having knowledge and not to share it; is
wrong. Let all of us who gain knowledge through
JRS-JC:HEM prove to the world that our work must be known. I believe that our ideas
and knowledge, inspired by what we learnt in our courses in Sustainable
Agriculture and Community Nutrition can change not only refugees and Malawians,
but the entire world.”